I think Descend X, “if you descended this turn”, and “Fathomless decent”, have a vocabulary issue like Haunt did. They all mean different things. Descend 4 is a condition (similar to delirium/threshold). “If you descended this turn” is an action (similar to “if you milled a permanent or a permanent died” which is “Revolt”). Fathomless descent is neither a condition nor an action; it functions closer to Undergrowth/Chroma as a counting mechanic. As a tiny amount of feedback, using vocabulary in 3 different contexts makes it more difficult to grok (and remember).

Would using three different words for things so mechanically connected not cause more confusion?

I'm sure we'll see cards that count creatures in the graveyard a lot, but where is Undergrowth as an ability word on the storm scale?

I’d call it a 7 as an ability word.

Hi Mark! In the past, ravnica's guilds have had mechanical overlap, such as the dimir's surveil synergizing well with the golgari's undergrowth mechanic. Do you think these overlaps could lead to a single ravnica set being possible under the current bloc model? Perhaps using several multicolor signpost cards to lend guilds valueable screentime while avoiding the overwhelming multicolor of dragons maze?

There’s simply not the space for ten factions in one set. Dragon’s Maze had all ten (after two sets with five each) and it had all sorts of issues.

What ever happened to the Storm Scale articles on the wizards website? Will they ever return? (The last one was about Kaladesh and Amonkhet) They were very intriguing and insightful. Can we get storm scalings at least for Ixalan and beyond? Namely Explore, Enrage, Ascend, Mentor, Surveil, Jump-start, Undergrowth, Adapt, Addendum, Afterlife, Riot, Spectacle, Amass, Escape, Keyword Counters, Mutate, and Companion.

I’ll do other Storm Scale articles.

What kinds of metrics do you use to measure the success for things like "forgettable" mythics that are more meant for casual play? Things like Undergrowth Champion, or Medomai the Ageless. Do you just trust the people they were meant for like them?

We have various data that can tell us what casual players are playing/collecting.

"Ability words aren’t keywords. They can’t be mechanically referenced"- This interests me. Do you know why this is the case- is it a rules reason? Because this seems to imply you couldn't print a card that (for example) tutored for a card with Metalcraft or Undergrowth, and that seems kind of odd. What makes that any different from tutoring for a card with Flying?

Ability words are basically reminder text. Note that they are printed in italics just as reminder text is.

Why wasn't Undergrowth given a keyword like Devotion was?

It’s an ability word because a keyword can only replace identical text. Undergrowth cards work similarly, but the rules text varies based on the effect.

Are all undergrowth cards X effects?

They’re all scalable effects.

"Dominaria had two new mechanics (historic and sagas). Ixalan had two new mechanics (explore and enrage)." Technically four of the guilds either don't have new mechanics or (in the case of Izzet) have a minor variant. "Undergrowth" has been used on and off since Ice Age (Lhurgoyf), and with a range of effects - it's only the name that's new. Surveil too has been used in exactly that form before, most recently in Ixalan.

If you discount things we’ve individually done on cards before then many sets have zero new mechanics.